2014 MODELS

Toyota is saying “good-bye” to its FJ Cruiser in a big way. To mark the end of this utility vehicle’s 8-year model run, it launched a special “Ultimate” edition in Jan. Instead of the usual solid color body with a white roof, this edition features a white grille and Heritage Blue paint, a look that pays tribute to the FJ40 from which the FJ Cruiser’s design is based.

Just 2,500 units of this special edition model have been built. One copy found its way to me recently, giving me the opportunity to experience everything it offers, especially its off-road prowess.

One and Done Model

But first some background information regarding the model at hand. When Toyota released the FJ Cruiser for the 2007 model year, it said that it would be a “one and done” model. In other words, Toyota promised that it would build the FJ Cruiser for just one generation, then end production.

That generation lasted about as long as Toyota dared to keep this model around with the automaker confirming last fall that production would end following the close of the 2014 model year. The timing was just right too as its platform mate, the Toyota 4Runner, had just made its own generational shift. Toyota wasn’t about to invest in a new model and break its promise, nor was it going to extend production of the older model at the expense of the 4Runner.

The FJ Cruiser, along with the 4Runner, the Nissan XTerra and the Jeep Wrangler are among the last body-on-frame utility vehicles on the market. These truck-based platforms are more rugged, less refined, but can handle an assortment of off-road conditions that today’s crossover sport utility vehicles would find difficult to do. Sure, there are models such as the Jeep Grand Cherokee that are designed to take a beating, but if you are a hardcore 44 person, it is the traditional SUVs that offer the best design.

2014 FJ Cruiser Ultimate Edition

The 2014 Toyota FJ Cruiser is priced from $27,680 for the standard 42 (rear-wheel drive) edition. The 44 MT, equipped with a six-speed manual transmission, retails from $28,860. Choose the 44 AT ($29,270) and that comes equipped with a five-speed automatic transmission with overdrive. If your heart is set on the Ultimate package you will pay an $8,185 price premium for the many goodies offered. When all was said and done, my test model came in at $39,494, including an $815 delivery fee.

Among utility vehicles, the FJ Cruiser won’t easily be confused with other models on the road, although my wife kept referring to it as a “Jeep.” Indeed, this model’s closest competitor is the Jeep Wrangler, itself drawing on a rich legacy that extends back to the early 1940s. Toyota, for its part, has long built a Jeep-like vehicle as it was first commissioned by the US Army in 1950 to build 100 copies based on Willys’ specifications. Known as the Jeep BJ (Toyota Jeep, that was before the Jeep name was trademarked and likely has led to some of the confusion that remains even to this day. The BJ later became the Land Cruiser, with Toyota also adding the smaller FJ.

2014 Toyota FJ Cruiser Ultimate

Like the 4Runner, the exclusive engine for the FJ Cruiser is a 4.0-liter, 24-valve V-6 making 260 horsepower and 271 foot-pounds of torque. Toyota did not make any engine enhancements with the Ultimate edition, although a supercharger is available for any 4Runner or FJ Cruiser courtesy of Toyota Racing Development (TRD). The engine has been around for some time, first put into use in 2002 and updated in 2010 to include dual variable valve timing with intelligence (VVT-i), technology that varies the timing of the intake valves for improved engine efficiency.

Toyota Racing Development

TRD’s hands are all over the Ultimate edition. Besides the special color scheme and white grille, this edition brings in a roof rack with rails, 16-inch Goodrich tires with headlock TRD wheels, wheel locks, special badging and privacy glass. The suspension system was enhanced with Bilstein shock absorbers; a TRD aluminum skid plate, active traction control, a rear wiper and remote keyless entry were also added. Inside, this model has a floating ball multi-information display affixed to the dash with an inclinometer, compass and outside temperature read out. Gray fabric seat inserts, a leather-trimmed steering wheel and a 120-volt/400-watt outlet were also added.

A few other goodies were included with the test model. These were: all-weather mats and cargo mats ($200), a TRD cat-back exhaust system ($550), a towing hitch with wiring harness ($349) and a passenger arm rest ($125). Further customization such as light bars, grille guards, cargo covers and an assortment of performance upgrades can be had from Toyota.

Part-Time 44 System

The FJ Cruiser’s 44 system is part-time and that means that the four-wheel drive system must be engaged to activate it. Toyota says that you can do this on the fly, up to speeds as high as 50 mph. You may find it easier to move the shifter when stopped and in park or while in neutral before making the change over. I’ve heard people say that a lot of force must be applied to shift into 44 mode when on the move.

Once you are locked and loaded, the off-road fun begins. I had already fulfilled my on-road travels with the FJ Cruiser when I “found” a logging road that wasn’t in use on a recent Saturday. Here in North Carolina, those trails are all over the place as landowners sell off mature trees and dump trucks move back and forth across large swaths of land. That means the clay is packed down in some places, but is also quite loose mostly everywhere else.

Not once did I become stuck nor did I have to rely upon a lower gear for improved crawl ratio. The FJ Cruiser skipped, no romped, through the mess and splattered red mud everywhere. I am no 44 maven, but after 10 minutes of churning, stomping and kicking up clay, I felt fully confident that the FJ Cruiser would not let me down. Had more time been allotted to me, I would have headed to the Appalachian range to ford a few creeks and taken to a handful of wooded trails. Even so, I found a second off-road area where the trees had been felled and the stumps taken out, hilly terrain that extended my off-road experience.

The big, boxy look of the FJ Cruiser places this vehicle somewhere between the Jeep Wrangler and the defunct Hummer H3. It is a four-door model, but the rear doors are rear-hinged and about half the size of the front doors. To access, you need to open the corresponding front door first, then reach inside to pull up a lever that opens the rear door. It is an unusual design, one that adds to this model’s mystique. You can get three people in the back, but leg room for tall passengers is limited.

Other notables about this model include its three front wipers, a huge rear door that swings out to the left side, and numerous hooks and tie-down points in the cargo area. The cloth seats are water resistant, rubberized flooring is standard and the center console has an iconic face that hearkens to the original FJ display.

Toyota 4Runner Goes it Alone

With the FJ Cruiser’s departure, the 4Runner will handle midsize SUV duty for Toyota. The latest edition is an off-road beast in its own right, something Toyota proved at a journalist meetup I attended last September north of Atlanta. We put this burly beast as well as the Toyota Tundra pickup truck through a punishing off-road course and both vehicles shined brightly. You can find that review here.

After three consecutive weeks of driving hybrid electric vehicles, little did I know that the best one would be saved for last. While the Toyota Prius and the Lexus CT 200h both have a place among hybrids — the Prius for starting it all and the Lexus for embellishing the segment — the Toyota Avalon Hybrid may just be the cream of the crop.

The fourth generation Toyota Avalon now offers a hybrid line.

2014 Toyota Avalon Hybrid Limited

A 2014 Toyota Avalon Hybrid Limited edition closed out my string of electrified models just this very week. It is a large sedan and is now in its fourth generation.

Beginning in 2013, Toyota added a hybrid model to the Avalon line. That model joins the Camry Hybrid, the Prius family and a Highlander Hybrid. Toyota not only owns the hybrid market, but it continually seeks to redefine it.

This was not my first go around with the Avalon either. Last fall, I spent a week with the 2013 Toyota Avalon XLE Touring edition, finding an “attractive, competent” sedan serving as Toyota’s flagship. It had the right engine, a comfortable suspension, attractive exterior looks and generous cabin amenities to deliver a classy ride.

I understood that marrying these attributes to a hybrid powertrain would certainly change one thing: its performance would be sacrificed in the name of fuel efficiency.

Hybrid Powertrain System

Indeed, the Toyota Avalon Hybrid (priced from $35,555) is powered by a 2.5-liter four cylinder engine. I am not a big fan of small engines in larger cars unless they have direct injection or a turbocharger. Both are preferred. A 156 horsepower rating is not a lot to work with, but with its electric motor, the total output rises to 200 hp. Moreover, this powertrain makes 199 foot-pounds of torque. So, while coming in slower than the V-6, the hybrid system does something that no other big sedan can deliver: nearly 40 mpg fuel economy.

We’ll take a closer look at the performance numbers a bit later. First, we’ll look at the Avalon’s history. Second, we’ll review the model at hand.

The Avalon made its debut in 1995, the first large sedan to wear a Toyota nameplate. Toyota had been building big cars in Japan for years, but concentrated on the lower end of the market for the US before expanding and moving up. Even then, it chose to launch its premium Lexus brand five years earlier, including its very first large sedans.

In the Avalon, Toyota targeted Buick, especially its LeSabre sedan. The new Avalon was warmly received by the senior set and its place in the Toyota portfolio was assured. Even so, for three generations Toyota served up Avalons that were luxurious, but bland, effectively holding down the model’s sales potential.

2014 Toyota Avalon Hybrid Limited.

Fourth Generation Toyota Avalon

The 2013 edition maintains a habit that has worked well for Toyota in the past: take the highly competent Camry platform and stretch it to accommodate the Avalon, adding nearly two inches to the wheelbase and six inches overall. The side overhangs are slightly wider too, but the Avalon sits nearly a half-inch closer to the ground. The practice of platform sharing is much more common these days than what you might realize. In the Avalon, you probably won’t notice the Camry relationship — nor should you care.

The fourth generation Avalon assumes the styling convention of current Toyota models. Its signature grille is flanked by standard quadrabeam headlights (HID in the Limited). The most pronounced feature, however, is its oversized air intake/lower grille, itself flanked by fog lamps set within scalloped recesses. That intake is surrounded by brightwork trim, what provides an elegant look.

Overall, the Avalon Hybrid advances a much more vigorous look. Imposing profile characteristics, including rocker panel embellishments put forth a more stately look. The roof line sweeps back to the trunk’s edge, to advance its upscale pedigree. Attractive and stylish wrap around tail lamps and dual chrome finishers enhance this model’s rear look.

Toyota sells the Avalon Hybrid in XLE Premium ($35,555), XLE Touring ($36,750) and Limited ($41,400) trim levels. Each one adds from $1,500 to approximately $2,400 to comparable standard models, not a bad mark up for a hybrid. Keep in mind that you essentially downgrade the engine to win hybrid efficiencies.

2014 Toyota Avalon Hybrid

Cabin Amenities and Equipment

The Premium and Touring editions come equipped with standard dual-zone climate control and rear seat vents. The Limited edition brings in three-zone climate control to permit rear seat passengers to adjust same.

The infotainment package in the Limited offers all the bells and whistles you want including an 11-speaker GreenEdge audio system with SiriusXM satellite radio, HD Radio with iTunes tagging, voice recognition and Bluetooth wireless technology, among other features. That represents an upgrade over the standard eight-speaker audio system found in the Premium edition and the nine-speaker system standard in the Touring edition.

All models are outfitted with a backup camera and cruise control. Dynamic radar cruise control, often marketed as adaptive cruise control in some models, is available with the Limited only. This technology ensures that you maintain a safe distance between vehicles as you move down the road regardless of cruise setting.

The instrument panel is clear and easy to configure, featuring analog and digital displays. Instead of a tachometer, you get an “EVometer” what tells you when the vehicle is operating in charging, eco or power modes. To the right is the speedometer and in the center is the driver information center — check the various driver information such as trip, distance to empty, average fuel economy and other information by flipping the switch.

Leather Seating Standard

Leather seating is standard across the Avalon line and is upgraded to perforated leather in the Limited. The top-of-the-line Avalon Hybrid provides a 10-way power driver’s seat with lumbar support and power extension, and an 8-way passenger seat. Heated and ventilated front seats are standard with heated rear seats (outboard position only) standard in the Limited.

As far as seating comfort, the Limited provides what you expect, but not a lot more. The bucket seats are not very well bolstered, but there is no need for that: spirited driving is hardly possible even when operating in Sport mode. In the Limited, the front lip of the driver’s seat also expands out, providing improved thigh support.

The rear seat is very comfortable and holds three adults with ease. It offers three adjustable headrests and has a fold down arm rest with cup holders in the middle place. What it doesn’t do is recline or fold down, a feature found in the most recent edition. The Avalon’s 14 cubic-feet trunk space is small for the class too, so keep that in mind if your storage requirements are significant. Highlander Hybrid, anyone?

On the Road Performance

On the road, this vehicle performs as expected. You get the cushy ride and a quiet interior. You won’t get a lot of power, but you may be surprised when you step on the accelerator and the sedan moves steadily, if not briskly. One short trip taken with my family of four revealed a few things: the Avalon Hybrid can get up to highway speeds without sounding like it will break. Simply shift the driver mode to sport and you’ll enjoy better handling. Once you are at highway speeds, shift into “eco” mode and engage the cruise control — you’ll want to see how close to 40 mpg you can get.

My weeklong journey with the Avalon Hybrid yielded 36.6 miles to the gallon. I am sure that I could have squeezed more miles out of the sedan, but I was satisfied with what I got. Heck, there are some compact models that struggle to get 35 mpg and in the Avalon Hybrid you get the best of Toyota’s luxury touches thrown in.